With Arbitration Almost Done, Look at 2017 Mets Payroll

We haven’t taken a look at the Mets payroll in a while. And now that the arbitration is nearly over, it is a good time to do it.

A few changes from last time. My initial projections did not include Rene Rivera and Josh Edgin, who I thought were non-tender candidates but apparently will be on the team (Edgin agreed to a deal to avoid arbitration, but the number has not been revealed. I put him in for $1 million, which is on the high side). I removed Jerry Blevins because I thought he would be an easy $6 million signing, but that has not proven to be the case. I also dumped Kelly Johnson because it appears the Mets are doing the same.

The Mets are on the hook for $136,475,000 in actual salaries. There is another $2.5 million in arbitration for Edgin and Wilmer Flores. And eight players will earn around the major league minimum, which I have at $600,000. That is a grand total Mets payroll of $143,775,000.

The good news is that this is close to the $140 million which is likely the Mets target number, and that includes keeping Jay Bruce. Of course, it does not include the “high leverage” reliever Sandy Alderson is apparently seeking. That might have to be the tradeoff; if Bruce cannot be dealt, the Mets might have to go with youth in the bullpen because there is no more money to be spent.

Personally, I think it is a good tradeoff. The Mets bullpen might be young and inexperienced but there is some quality out there. I’d much rather have Bruce in the middle of the lineup than an experienced arm sitting in the pen.